flat surfaces

[facium]

Hi all, I am getting a lot of wrinkle in the sheet around the shapes I put in the copper (all the flat surfaces). Is there a method that will reduce this wrinkle effect, or a process to remove it after the fact.

The piece shown in this post is a good example. although I don't mind a "rustic" look on this piece, I like the look of flat copper in the non hammered areas of a piece.

I used to hammer the copper cold (no annealing) and did not have this wrinkle effect happen (the sheat was too stiff to distort). anealing has made it much easier (or should I say possible) to make the detail I want, but I lack the experiance/knowedge to correct this effect.

any advice help would be greatly apprieciated

[John B]

Use a small polished flatter against a solid clean flat base plate, you may have to make a shaped set to get up to the edge of the profiles

[facium]

do you have a pic of a "flattener", I'm self tought and at times I am missing key vocabulary. I can take a guess at what this tool would look like (the name is kind of obvious) how ever I see no need to reinvent the wheel if an accepted tool is allready widely used.
Thanks I'm gunna go check some places on the internet to see if I can get some ideas (always hard to do when you don't know what something is called)

[JohnW]

Here's a picture of one if I can paste this in here

Nice little $12 find...

So it may (usually does) have a handle like a hammer, but it's not made for hammering with. Lay the flatter on the work piece and strike the flatter with a hammer.

I've never used one. You may also be interested in discussion of top tools and bottom tools, which I think may be hand held, or fit in the hardy hole.

[ThomasPowers]

What are you beddding it in to do the repousee and chasing? Perhaps you need a stiffer medium so that only the parts you are working on move.

[facium]

thanks John, that's about the shape I was thinking.

thank you too Thomas, I suspected the bedding might be too soft (modeling clay) and am in the proccess of getting something stiffer. It's nice to know I not waisting my time. the only problem I forsee with bedding is the abient temp here runs 100+ most of the time, and I don't know if I will be able to use pitch.

[Mills]

Facium you may want to look up Matt Weber of Della Terra Studios. He teaches this stuff and sells some tools and supplies down your way. Very helpful.

[Bentiron1946]

You could use Red pitch for a medium to set you reppouse in or maybe Black pitch but it is very stiff. I used a small set hammer to flatten things out. If you look at Gene Olson's web site you will see some first class copper work and get some ideas for how to do big surfaces. I like your work. Very nice even if there are a few wrinkles. Here is a link to some of Gene's work King Porkunkhamun I ( 145 - 182 BBQ) - a raised vessel . Enjoy

[facium]

thanks, I have noticed a lot of pieces I have seem don't bother with flat, they texture the surface (I would assume using a rubber mallet on a textured backing plate)

[SGropp]

Try anealing the sheet and roll the wrinkles out using a smooth steel hand roller with a smooth steel plate under the copper. The roller I use is about 1 1/2'' diameter by 2''long, made for rolling down plastic laminate countertops. It works great for just the problem you are having. Annealing the copper is essential